A Valkyrie's Kryptonite
by FindYourWings
Summary: Bo discovers Tamsin's surprising weakness. In the discussion that follows, the two women struggle to come to terms with things unsaid. Valkubus. Summaries are not my strong suit, sorry!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: This is my first fanfiction so if you would please take the time to leave reviews I would greatly appreciate it. I'm looking to improve my writing and constructive criticism is always helpful. I hope you enjoy!**

**The characters belong to the creators of Lost Girl, I am simply borrowing them for my own amusement and that of my readers.**

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><p>"Bo, your new pet is trying to murder me!"<p>

The valkyrie's shout jolted Bo from the heat induced daze brought on by her soak in the tub. Tamsin's voice cracked mid sentence in a way that plunged fear into the succubus's chest. Water cascaded over the sides of there as she flailed for a moment in her attempt to scramble upright and step over the porcelain sides of the tub. Her soles skidded on the wet tile. She took one step, two, before her heels slid straight out in front of her and she fell on her rump with a resounding splat. She knew she would definitely feel the soreness tomorrow but shrugged off the pain in her rush to reach the Valkyrie. She hauled herself upright, pausing only long enough to seize her knife and kimono as she raced through the hall to the living room.

Bo rounded the corner, knife thrust out before her. Her bare chest heaved as she quickly scanned the room for signs of danger. She lowered the blade upon spotting the valkyrie in the living room. Tamsin was curled up on the couch. A black and white kitten had nestled in her lap and the mechanical sound of it's contented purr could be heard from where the succubus stood.

"What the hell, Tamsin?"

The Valkyrie looked up. Her eyes widened as she saw the succubus standing in the doorway, naked and dripping, with a knife clenched in her right hand and kimono in her left. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe, how to speak, how to even exist. Then, a sneeze exploded from her. The kitten shot off her lap. She caught the briefest glimpse of it's tail as the creature sprinted down the hall past Bo.

"He's a monster, I'm telling you. He tried to kill me."

"You got me out of my bath, for a cat purring you to death? Seriously? I thought I'd accidentally brought home another Rakshasa or something."

A tear trailed down the valkyrie's cheek. She sniffed and looked down at her lap.

"Wait, are you crying?" Bo could count on one hand the number of times she'd seen Tamsin in tears and she had absolutely no clue why a kitten would have brought out this side of the Valkyrie.

"It's not what you think." Tamsin sneezed again. She looked back up. Her nose was dripping. Her eyes were red and puffy, with more tears forming in their corners. "I'm allergic."

"You're...allergic...to cats?"

The Valkyrie nodded. Her shoulders slumped forward and her brow furrowed as she swiped at her eyes and looked down again. Bo wasn't sure she'd ever seen Tamsin look so miserable. She almost laughed at the pitiful sight. If she didn't think she'd offend the other woman's prickly sense of pride, she might have let herself.

"You mean to tell me that you are a Valkyrie, member of an ancient and powerful race, and kittens are your kryptonite?"

Tamsin was too miserable for a snarky retort. She simply nodded.

"And here I thought you might have spent a past life as a crazy cat lady when that attitude of yours drove everyone away."

Bo expected a snarky response. Tamsin remained silent as she sniffed and wheezed.

"Why didn't you tell me that when I talked to you about getting a cat?"

The familiar haunted look filled Tamsin's eyes as she met the succubus's gaze. She kept her focus trained on the brunette's face, even as her eyes fought to roam up and down the woman's nude body. She knew why. It was the same reason she had risked her life multiple times for the other woman. It was always the same reason. She would do anything to see that light in Bo's eyes when she was happy. She would move heaven and earth to see that tenderness, even if she knew it would never be directed at her. Dealing with allergies was small price to pay if it meant Bo might smile and laugh again now that Kenzi had left.

For a moment, seeing Tamsin in tears again, Bo was reminded of that day in the bathtub. The Valkyrie had had that same haunted look as she spoke of things they had never really discussed since. It had come up in moments here and there but the underlying tension had never been resolved. Bo didn't know why Tamsin spoke those words about her being perfect. She didn't know why Tamsin kissed her so longingly at the Yule party. Or maybe, deep down she did.

Memories flooded the succubus's mind. As they did so, she became aware of the fact that she had yet to put on the kimono clenched in her left fist. A puddle had formed at her feet and she could feel the crunchiness of her skin in patches where soap had dried on it. Unfortunately, she knew she'd never get an answer from the Valkyrie if she returned to her bath now. With a sigh, Bo strode over to the kitchen counters and set her knife down with a clatter before shrugging on the silky fabric of the kimono.

"Tamsin?" She asked as she turned back to face the couch and it's mute occupant. The valkyrie had tracked her motions with her eyes but still the silence stretched on.

Tamsin's chest felt tight. She couldn't tell if it was the sight of the succubus, even now that she was somewhat clothed, or the fear of the question that seemed to have dumped a hundred pounds of lead onto her heart and lungs. She knew she wasn't going to get out of an answer and yet, she wasn't ready to give one. How had this scenario, something that initially could have come straight out of a cartoon, shifted into something completely different. Tension swirled in the room between the two. She wondered, if she reached out and grabbed that tangible force, would it be possible to squash it once and for all? Would it be possible to salvage the situation without spilling her soul to Bo? Her Bo. The woman she loved. Yet she knew, Bo could never love her back. She had attacked Bo, attacked Kenzi even. Her actions, particularly the latter, were unforgivable, even if Dyson and Lauren weren't part of the picture.

Tamsin cocked her head sideways. She didn't know what to say or do. Her nose scrunched as she formed each word so carefully with her mouth, flinging them across the room like daggers aimed for Bo's heart.

"Maybe, I just understood that you needed a new pet to look after now that Kenzi is gone."

Bo froze. Her face emptied. Even her eyes were devoid of any and all expression. She whirled around and was gone down the hallway before Tamsin even had time to process the hurtful words that had poured out of her own mouth.

The Valkyrie curled forward. She wrapped her arms around her knees and pressed her face into them. Tears carved a path down both cheeks. This time, they weren't from allergies.

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><p><strong>As of right now I'm not sure whether or not this will remain a one-shot. Let me know if you guys think it's worth expanding!<strong>

**UPDATE 12/25: Hey guys, I just wanted to let you all know that chapter 2 is in the works as per the requests from my lovely reviewers. Things are kinda crazy with the holiday but I'll hopefully get it posted in the next couple of days! Merry Christmas!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I apologize for the delay, I had major hip surgery and the recovery process has been brutal thus far. For simplicity's sake, I decided to continue the story as if episodes 3-7 never happened. Episode 7 shattered my heart sooooo I am a big fan of pretending it doesn't exist! Once again, I have simply borrowed the characters for my own amusement. They belong to the creators of the show, though I want to take them away for a while until those creators learn how to treat my baby Tamsin right!**

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><p>Tamsin pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the bus window. Each bump in the road jarred her, causing her head to bump against the glass. Far from minding, she embraced the distraction. The motion prevented her from focusing on the winter scenery outside. She didn't want to see the barren trees, cold gray skies, lack of all color. She had seen too many winters come and go in her lifetimes and the lackluster nature of the season reminded her too much of her past. She had spent years in a dreary haze, rarely catching even a glimpse of color, of emotion, of anything memorable or vibrant.<p>

Until she met Bo.

The blonde sighed and closed her eyes, forcing her attention to return to the sound of the glass rattling in its frame. The noise was annoying, yet oddly soothing. It made it difficult for her thoughts to stream on continuously. She let herself slip into a trance and welcomed the numbness that accompanied that state.

Time slid by. Tamsin only dimly registered the driver announcing her stop. Still in a daze, she wrapped her jacket tighter around herself as she stepped down onto the sidewalk. The leather offered marginal warmth and she could still feel the wind seeping in around the edges, numbing her senses even more.

The valkyrie's feet carried her to the front of a Victorian style house. She hesitated before continuing up the path and knocking on the door. After a moment or two, the door swung inward.

"Would you look what the cat dragged in?" Acacia said with a smirk. "What brings my protege out of her happy nest with the succubus?"

"I could use a drinking partner. I figured you'd be up for it, unless old age has turned you into the kind of person who sleeps before eight. You've certainly been around long enough for that." Tamsin forced a fleeting smirk of her own.

"Cheeky bitch. I may be old but I bet I can still drink you under the table."

Tamsin tossed her hair over her shoulder, jumping on the challenge as a welcome distraction. "Wanna bet?"

"Fifty dollars."

"Deal."

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><p>Tamsin marched straight to the bar and downed three shots of vodka in rapid succession, ignoring Acacia's questioning look as the older valkyrie snagged them each a bottle of dark belch.<p>

"Someone's getting an early start." Acacia chuckled before continuing. "So I hear you didn't make it through a single visit to Valhalla before getting on Freya's bad side again."

Tamsin snorted. "I guess Stacy has been sharing stories again."

Acacia nodded. "Something about you racing to the rescue of that succubus bitch, betraying your sisters, and failing to complete your mission. Again, I might add."

"Well," Tamsin drawled as she leaned back in her chair and surveyed the other dark fae in the bar, "I'd have thought you'd long since learned not to believe everything you hear. Bitch always loved to gossip. I guess some things never change. Enough about me, tell me about the latest adventures in the life of Acacia, Valkyrie extraordinaire."

"Cut the crap Tamsin." Acacia said, downing a shot of her own. "Valkyries don't make social calls and you loathe small talk. Stop with the bullshit and tell me what's going on."

"Well excuse me for trying to be polite." The mention of small talk brought back vague memories from the night Tamsin had made those mortifying drunken confessions to Bo. Heat blossomed in her cheeks and she began peeling back the label on her beer, keeping her face turned downward so Acacia wouldn't see her flush.

Acacia raised an eyebrow. "You don't do polite."

"It's my last life. Maybe I'm turning over a new leaf before I kick the bucket for good."

The older valkyrie snorted. "Oh you've definitely changed, but the day you become polite is the day I quit drinking or getting into bar fights and settle into an easy retirement. We both know that's never going to happen."

After a long pause, Acacia sighed. She grabbed Tamsin's hand and forced her to quit picking at the adhesive streaks left by the label. "I'm only going to say this once, so you had better listen up."

Tamsin's stomach quivered. She felt detached from the world and couldn't decide if it was from nerves or the alcohol beginning to take effect. She took a swig of beer and met Acacia's gaze with a quick nod of acquiescence.

"Valkyries have one purpose in life. Live, serve, expire. From the time we enter this world, we see nothing but death and pain. The first time we take a soul from the arms of their broken and sobbing widower, we understand that getting attached to others means loss and loss means weakness, incapacitation. So we adapt. We carve out every trace of caring, empathy, and compassion because we believe it is the only way we can remain strong enough to serve in a world full of so much darkness.

"What's your point? I've lived many lifetimes. Don't you think I already know this?" Tamsin retorted before being distracted by a scattering of peanut shells on the wooden floors. _For some reason I always saw peanut shells. _A wave of nostalgia swamped Tamsin's body as the words echoed in her mind and her stomach was seized by an intense ache.

"You were right." She whispered at a volume barely audible to her own ears over the country music blasting in the background. Moisture welled up in the corners of her eyes. "Sometimes there are peanut shells, I just never noticed them before."

Tamsin blinked rapidly, refusing to cry in front of her mentor. What the hell was wrong with her? How could a peanut shell affect her so strongly? A peanut shell, a song, a scent wafting on the breeze; it was always the little things that captivated her attention and reminded her of the damn succubus. She took a deep breath. When had she realized how special Bo was to her? Was it that day in the bar? Was it that kiss in Brazenwood? Did it happen when they rescued Kenzi from the Kitsune, or did it happen a millennia before when she first learned of an impossible woman with eyes both brown and blue.

She had lost herself in those eyes. Long before she ever witnessed them in person, they had sapped her of very essence. Those eyes had stripped her walls away, laying her bare and eliminating the qualities that made her the badass Valkyrie she had always prided herself on being. What had Acacia said? Feelings brought incapacition. She had been weakened, tamed, her wings clipped by the emotions that swamped her senses and forced her to take any action necessary to keep Bo happy.

"Tamsin?" Acacia asked, noticing her protege's wandering attention. The younger Valkyrie's green eyes were clouded with pain, her brow furrowed and mouth tight as she looked up from the floor.

"I've seen you in action, before and after you joined the happy sunshine gang. You're different, but that difference has not made you weak. You've always been strong, but I have never once seen you as full of vitality as you are since you met the succubus."

Tamsin opened her mouth to correct Acacia but was instantly cut off as the older Valkyrie continued. "Yes, I know her name is Bo. Maybe we have judged those grieving widows too harshly. Tamsin, I've seen you take on impossible odds beside this woman and come out victorious against all expectations. When we focus on that moment of weakness brought on by great loss, we neglect thousands of moments of incredible strength that precede it. We don't realize the strength a person is capable of when they fight beside someone they care so deeply about."

Tamsin started at those words and took a huge gulp of her beer as she struggled to comprehend what the older woman was trying to tell her. Her voice sounded ragged as she forced out a single question. "What are you suggesting?"

"It's time you stop running, Tamsin. It's devouring you."

Tamsin drained the last drop of beer. She felt the alcohol mixing with her blood, giving the world a dreamlike quality. She seized that feeling with her mind and let it loosen the filter she lived through.

"She brought home a cat and I watched the light return to her eyes for the first time since Kenzi left. She's smiled again, even laughed when she got the little demon to chase a laser pointer. She found out about my allergies and asked why I hadn't mentioned them before. I...I lashed out. I didn't want her to realize that..." Tamsin's voice dwindled to nothing. She blinked a few times and swallowed, struggling to quell her fears. At last she met Acacia's gaze and finished her sentence. "...that it's worth any amount of misery to see her happy again."

Acacia nodded. "I trust you know what to do. Now, about that bet?"

As the older Valkyrie stood up to collect a bottle of vodka, she suddenly froze. "Tamsin," she began, forming each syllable deliberately, "I've seen you around Freya's cats. We've ridden in her chariot many times. Not once did you have an allergic reaction."

"Shit."

Before Acacia had time to process the curse that had exploded from the younger woman's mouth, Tamsin was up and sprinting towards the door. Acacia caught a glimpse of feathered wingtips streaking across the corner of a window and the younger Valkyrie was gone.\

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><p><strong>AN: As I said before, this is my first fanfic. I am a perfectionist and not entirely happy with this chapter, as I feel I have yet to fully get into the characters' heads when it comes to dialogue. Please review and let me know how I'm doing. Constructive criticism is awesome and I would especially love input on anything that seems out of character! I'm also still deciding where I want the story to go, so please let me know if there is anything you would like to see happen! :) I hope you all have a good weekend!<strong>

**PS: I already have a personal Tumblr and am considering creating a secondary blog for questions, comments, and posts about when to expect updates. Is that something you all would like me to do?**


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